


A Long, Long Time

by the_dread_e



Series: Lonesome [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Amnesia, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21772795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_dread_e/pseuds/the_dread_e
Summary: Hermann prepares for Newton to move in with him after the Precursors are eradicated.
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Series: Lonesome [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569118
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	A Long, Long Time

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty sure I wrote this a few days after bawling to the ending of Avengers: Endgame. The song they play at the very end destroyed me, and immediately made me think of these two. It's been sitting my OneDrive ever since. Enjoy!
> 
> It's Been A Long, Long Time by Harry James & His Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chs2bmqzyUs

Hermann Gotlieb stands in the middle of his meager lodgings in the Shatterdome and tries to tell himself that Newton will not care how clean it is. Not that it isn’t spotless. In the weeks leading up to the PPDC council’s decision regarding Dr. Geizsler’s fate, Hermann was either in the lab or his apartment doing anything he could think of to divert his attention from the vote. He had been allowed to say his piece, and there was nothing else he could do. 

When the word of the vote broke, Hermann melted with relief. Newton would be absolved of all charges, but due the nature of his possession, he would need to remain in the Shatterdome for the foreseeable future. Hermann immediately volunteered to open his quaint home to his old partner. It was when he was walking back from the council chambers that he realized this could have been a very bad decision. 

Though he had tried to deny it in the years that they had been apart, Hermann was still hopelessly in love with Newton. He had thought about his former partner constantly. Even if he managed an entire day in the lab without his mind wandering to Newton, as soon as Hermann laid his head down for the night, Newton would be there. It would be dreams of working in the lab, or the stolen glances they would both cast the other’s way. It was drunken conversations on the roof of the Shatterdome, always leaning towards each other, but neither ever bridging the gap. Hermann thinks about those missed opportunities the most. 

But Newton coming to stay with him isn’t about what could have been. At least, it can’t be for right now. Hermann isn’t selfish enough to make this about him, but he holds the hope for reconciliation deep in his heart. It flared brightly when Newton remembered his name in that bleak room they held him in. They had their brief reunion a few days later, when Newton remembered Hermann’s name, but little else. 

Disappointment and despair were easy to sink into when Newton couldn’t seem to recall anything beyond snippets of hazy memories, but Hermann found relief in the reverent way Newton would repeat his name. There would be time to re-discover the past. Six months of recovery went by with Hermann taking on the second full time job of helping his partner pull on the string of those memories, for better or worse. 

Hermann took the good days with the bad days. He found he didn’t feel the need to spin them all as good the way he once did. Now that Newton’s fate had been decided, the council had turned their attention to more pressing matters. Hermann gladly took up the task of overseeing Newton’s healing. 

Six months saw solid progress. Newton could remember his relatives and was able to hold several emotional conversations with them over the phone. Jacob and Illia were most pleased to hear from him after years of dismissive texts and ignored phone calls. 

Six months, and now they are going to be living together. Hermann reminds himself not to expect anything. This isn’t some exercise in domesticity, but just another step in Newton’s recovery. 

He can’t help himself, of course. As he rearranged the pillows on his ratty love seat for the twelfth time that day, Hermann fantasized about slipping into old arguments with Newton. The rapid fire-chatter that used to pour from his lab partner is sorely missed. He hopes that spending this time together will trigger more memories; maybe even get Newton talking like his old self. 

* 

Dinner is relatively quiet. Newton doesn’t eat without encouragement which Hermann tries to provide in spades. He isn’t used to being the talkative one. Hermann’s more comfortable offering an eyeroll at Newton’s outlandish theories, but Newton has only spoken in one-word answers since he arrived. 

He’s talking at least. Hermann has to remind himself that it’s all progress. This is a road they’ll both be on for a long, long ti-- 

‘I know this song.’ Newton says. His fork hovers between his plate and his lips as he squints in concentration at Hermann’s record player. 

Hermann glances over his shoulder. He’d completely forgotten music was still playing. He’d had it on while he tidied his bunk before Newton was brought over. 

‘Y-you had this song on. When I finally got to Hong Kong...the first time I walked into the lab.’ Newton remembers. His eyes are squeezed shut in concentration, and his face looks pained. ‘You freaked out and shut it off when you saw me and Pentecost in the doorway.’ 

Hermann can’t keep the smile from spreading across his face. The song was ‘It’s Been A Long, Long Time’ and had caused Hermann’s entire body to flare with a blush when Pentecost ushered Newton into the lab all those years ago. Hermann had played the song ad nauseum after their disastrous first meeting. It was perfect to wallow to. As the years went by, he tried to avoid it, but every now and again it would pop up. He always thought of Newton when it did. 

‘It seemed almost too...’ 

‘...Too intimate?’ Newton supplies with a small smile of his own. 

‘It had been a number of years since we’d last seen each other.’ 

‘And I guess we weren’t exactly cool with discussing how many dreams we dreamed about each other, huh?’ 

‘Foolishly.’ Hermann added. What was past was past, and he didn’t want to dwell on what could have been. That was a winding path he’d trod too many times since they first laid eyes on each other all those years ago. 

The record moves onto the next song, but Hermann grabs his cane and pushes himself from his chair. Newton watches him carefully as Hermann re-adjusts the needle. The song begins again as he limps slowly around the table. He extends his free hand to Newton, who takes it and allows himself to be pulled up. 

‘While we’re hardly young anymore, I don’t think we should bog ourselves down with worrying about what’s past.’ Hermann says as he wraps his arm around Newton’s waist. He’s still much to thin, but they are making progress there as they are everywhere. 

‘Speak for yourself, dude. No promises about not worrying.’ Newton says, allowing Hermann to tug him closer. He rests his head on Hermann’s shoulder. ‘But it’s hard to remember shit anymore, you know?’ 

‘But you remembered this song.’ Hermann whispers into Newton’s hair. ‘That’s cause enough for celebration.’ He pulls back to look Newton in the eye. ‘Will you dance with me?’ 

Newton blinks at the request before he offers up another shy smile. He tucks closer into Hermann, and they slowly begin to sway as the record continues. The lyrics hit them both. Hermann feels Newton’s fingers cling tighter to his sweater as he shoulders hitch. His own vision becomes a bit blurred. He buries his face in Newton’s hair, quietly whisper-singing the song to his partner. 

The song passes, but they don’t stop dancing. Dinner grows cold and late afternoon turns to night, but Hermann and Newton don’t pull apart. They dry each other's tears and take solace knowing that the other is here now. No matter how long it’s been, they are together now.


End file.
